Is the celebration of a first Communion / Eucharist biblical?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Celebrating a believer’s first Communion is not inherently unbiblical, but the Bible does not prescribe a formal ceremony at a specific age. The idea of a first Communion likely comes from the Jewish Bar/Bat Mitzvah (son/daughter of the commandment) and was adapted by the Roman Catholic church. Communion is a sacred act of remembering Christ’s sacrifice (Luke 22:19-20) and should be taken only by those who have placed their faith in Him (1 Corinthians 11:27-29). While the Old Testament encourages parents to diligently teach their children God’s Word (Deuteronomy 6:6-7) and Jesus and Paul demonstrate spiritual growth and understanding develop over time (Luke 2:41-52; Acts 22:3), there is no set “milestone” age for a first participation in the Lord’s Supper. Ceremonies that enforce a particular age or focus on ritual rather than faith risk promoting formalism or even false conversions (Philippians 3:7). Taking communion, whether it is our first time or repeated, should be as a result of a heartfelt response to Christ’s sacrifice, not the observance of tradition.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The idea of a First Communion actually comes from the Jewish Bar/Bat Mitzvah (son/daughter of the commandment) and adapted by the Catholic church. Some trace the history of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah to the rearing of Isaac to an age where he became responsible to the covenant (Genesis 21:8).
• God commanded the Israelites to instruct their children in God’s word: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” Deuteronomy 6:6-7). And while learning God’s word should be the key part of children’s training, accepting Christ as Savior should not be forced by a certain age.
• One of Isaiah’s prophecies about Jesus say that He will reach an age when He can distinguish good from evil (Isaiah 7:14-16)

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• In first century Judaism, children would begin to learn their parent’s trade at age 12 and be considered a responsible adult. Jesus began to learn His Father’s work in the Temple at age 12 (Luke 2:41-52).
• Paul describes his own spiritual training and adherence to the Law: “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day” (Acts 22:3). He provides no age for his education, nor when he reached the milestone of being “zealous for God,” but in a later letter he says, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ” (Philippians 3:7). No specific age is the “deadline” for accepting Christ, and to force the issue by a certain date for the sake of tradition or ceremony is unbiblical.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

All believers have a "first Communion": The first time we took the Lord's Supper. But what significance does or should this event have? Communion is indeed a special event, but this is true every time we take it, not just the first time. Even so, it isn’t wrong to celebrate the first time a believer participates in this important part of the Christian life as long as the biblical understanding of Communion is upheld.

In the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and some Anglican and Lutheran churches, the observance or celebration of a first Communion is based on a misunderstanding of the Lord's Supper and how salvation is accomplished, so it is served to children who may or may not actually have believed in Jesus Christ as their Savior, a biblically prescribed prerequisite for participating in Communion. Ceremonies such as these are not biblical simply because of their incorrect view of Communion and salvation, not because celebrating the first time a person takes Communion is wrong in itself. If the church has a solid understanding of Communion and has vetted new believers properly, then there is nothing wrong with celebrating a person’s first Communion, although neither is it necessary.

UNDERSTAND

• The Bible doesn’t prohibit celebrating someone’s first Communion, but neither is it proscribed.
• Communion should be taken only by those who have placed their faith in Christ as Savior.
• One potential problem with formal first Communion ceremonies by a certain age is that adherence to tradition may lead to false conversions.

REFLECT

• How did you know you were ready to partake in Communion the first time?
• How do you prepare your heart and mind to participate in Communion?
• Have you ever felt tension between following a religious tradition and adhering to what the Bible teaches, and how did you respond?

ENGAGE

• What makes a church tradition helpful or harmful when it comes to teaching people including children about the Lord’s Supper?
• How can believers encourage each other to take Communion meaningfully, rather than as a ritual?
• What lessons can we learn from the Bible about instructing children in God’s Word?